DXP vs CMS demystified: Make an informed choice

Highlights

You’ll learn about:

• CMS focus: CMS helps you create, manage and deliver content
• DXP advantages: DXP offers expanded capabilities like personalization, omnichannel experiences and advanced analytics
• Technology and adaptability: DXP features agility, modularity and AI-driven personalization, surpassing CMS' limited adaptability
• User experience: DXP improves user engagement through personalized experiences and data-driven insights, which a CMS cannot match

Which is more favorable for your business?

If you’re a start-up or small business, using a CMS like WordPress is acceptable. However, enterprise businesses should choose a DXP like Contentstack for its customer data management and superior customer experiences.

You've heard the acronyms CMS, WCM and DXP. While they all serve a different purpose, they all fall under the umbrella term content management systems. 

• WCM: Web content management system
• DXP: Digital experience platform
• CMS: Content management system

As traditional CMSs fail to meet digital customers' expectations of personalized content and contextualized digital experiences across multiple touchpoints, you need an alternative. That’s why companies shift to headless CMS and DXP platforms. While both CMS and DXP provide modern content design, they ensure a seamless experience across every digital touchpoint when customers interact with your brand. Understanding DXP vs CMS is essential before implementation. 

So, let’s first discover DXP vs CMS and then understand which is best for your business and why.

What is a content management system (CMS)?

A CMS is a content management system that helps content creators upload and modify content to your website. Traditional CMSs don’t require any coding knowledge. With CMS, you manage your company’s digital assets, like creating, storing and distributing digital content. It powers your company’s website and applications. Over the years, CMSs have given businesses control of their content without knowledge of any coding language, HTML or CSS. 

One of the highlights is the ability to build and manage websites using templates. You can even integrate various plugins and manage permissions. 

Key components of a CMS include:

• Content management application
• Content delivery application

Examples of CMS

• WordPress
• Joomla
• Drupal

What is a digital experience platform?

A digital experience platform (DXP) delivers seamless and personalized digital experiences across multiple touchpoints and channels. DXPs are modern solutions that elevate experience and functionality. These platforms support the management, composition, delivery and optimization of digital experiences. While a DXP performs all the functions of a headless CMS, it provides a tool for creating never-like experiences. Modern DXPs like Contentstack support the entire customer journey across every digital touchpoint. With digital experience platforms, you deliver the right content at the right time to the right customer.

Key components of a DXP include:

• Headless CMS
• Omnichannel marketing features
• Social media integration
• Data management and analytics
• Personalization tools
• AI and automation features
• eCommerce integration
• Scalable cloud-based solution for high availability
• Customer relationship management (CRM)

When comparing DXP to CMS, understand that DXP adds more value than CMS because it gives your business more control over your digital experience offerings and helps you acquire and retain more customers. 

Examples of DXP platforms

Contentstack

Contentstack is the leading DXP platform because it offers a flexible content management system for creating and sharing content. Its API-first approach provides quick tool integration, enhances personalization and allows seamless omnichannel delivery.

Case study: How did Contentstack DXP help MongoDB drive modernization?

MongoDB, established in 2007, modernized its tech stack by merging multiple content management systems into a single, unified CMS. After a thorough evaluation, the company chose Contentstack’s Composable DXP to migrate over 250 pages on its main website within three months. This transition helped MongoDB deliver innovative web experiences faster, enhancing localization and content management capabilities. 

The company is now focused on migrating thousands more pages and leveraging AI for personalization and automated content tagging, showing how a modern tech stack can facilitate business evolution and adaptability. 

After using Contentstack, Bill Mitchell, Senior Director, Web Strategy and Technology, MongoDb said, 

“Our team was excited to find a solution that better supported the business's needs today and into the future.”

Read the complete case study here.

Optimizely

While Optimizely is recognized for its robust experimentation tools and powerful analytics, it lacks the same level of content management flexibility as Contentstack. 

Sitecore

Sitecore helps you with content management, but its integration with marketing automation feels challenging compared to Contentstack’s efficiency.

Adobe Experience Manager

Adobe Experience Manager (AEM) offers various features, but its content complexity and asset management overshadow its effectiveness. However, the Contentstack digital experience platform is better because of its intuitive design and data-driven capabilities. This offers a more dynamic, personalized experience without the added complexity. 

DXP vs CMS: The key differences

Though both DXP and CMS are part of content management and delivery, they are different. The key differences between legacy CMS and DXP solutions are:

Platform architecture

Traditional content management systems are monolithic because a single platform houses all the features. These systems are available as a single vendor, leaving no scope for external integrations or other vendors. In a traditional CMS, front-end presentation is closely tied to the back-end content management and storage. While this makes deployment easier, it makes your systems less scalable and flexible. On the other hand, DXPs have a headless architecture that separates the front and back end, helping you deliver content across different channels.

User experience

DXPs create smooth and personalized experiences across different channels, allowing dynamic interactions. You have the power to adjust to how individual customers behave. CMS platforms are more static, primarily focusing on content distribution without offering personalization based on customer data.

Integration capabilities

When you use DXPs, you integrate various marketing, sales and customer service tools, creating a tech stack that provides a seamless customer experience. With 53% of customers willing to pay extra for customer experience, a DXP is your best choice. Although CMS platforms connect with marketing tools, the integration isn’t as flexible as that of DXPs.

Target audience

Content creators and marketers who manage multiple websites primarily use a CMS. A DXP appeals to marketers, data analysts, and professionals in customer experience who work to improve customers' journeys.

Technology and adaptability

A CMS manages content, especially when enhanced with third-party plugins. However, its structure offers limited adaptability. DXPs add agility, helping you take a modular approach that responds to shifts in customer behavior. As many DXPs use headless architecture, you can integrate cutting-edge tools and deliver personalized experiences across various channels. 

Personalization

When you use AI and machine learning within your DXPs, you adjust your content and user experiences in real time. It helps your business respond to changing customer needs. While CMS platforms offer basic customization options, they lack the depth required for personalization, limiting their effectiveness in driving user engagement. Those looking to build deeper connections with their audience and cultivate loyalty prefer DXPs over a CMS.

Summary of DXP vs CMS

Which is better for your business: DXP or CMS?

Understanding whether a DXP or a CMS is right for your business depends on these factors:

Budget

A CMS like WordPress is free to use for start-ups and small businesses. It's user-friendly and cost-effective, so you can easily publish content. But for larger enterprises with complicated digital ecosystems, a DXP like Contentstack is the best. 

Integration

A DXP is the optimal solution for businesses that need a deep level of connectivity with other systems. With a DXP, you fulfill complex and ever-changing digital customers' requirements. How? DXP offers integration features and headless architecture, which is not true with a traditional CMS.

Scalability

If your business anticipates growth in the coming years, a DXP is a must-have. A traditional CMS platform scales less efficiently. 

User experience

A DXP provides a personalized experience and increases user engagement. They also provide more advanced personalization than monolithic CMS platforms.

FAQs

What is the difference between DXP and CMS?

A CMS creates and delivers content and a DXP works on the context experience and includes elements like targeting, tracking and promoting your content.

What does DXP stand for?

A DXP stands for digital experience platform. It helps you create, manage and optimize your customer’s digital experiences.

What is the difference between DXP and CDP?

A DXP manages digital experiences across various channels, but a customer data platform (CDP) collects and manages customer data from various sources to build a unique customer profile.

Learn more

The fight is not between a DXP and CMS but between choosing the best technologies to improve your customer experience. As a result, many businesses rely on Contentstack’s DXP, which provides the necessary tools to navigate success. Talk to us to learn why DXP platforms are far better than traditional CMSs and how we can help.